As the number of things you can play digital music on grows, so grows the (vinyl) record business. That’s right, records aren’t just for hipsters with their parent’s record player any more. More and more this business has picked up steam thanks to people who yearn for a more tangible connection with their music. Locally, we have two fantastic record stores, both of which will save you a drive downtown and the judging eyes of some young artsy know-it-all. I’m allowed to say that, being a young artsy know-it-all myself. I promise that a visit to one of these fine establishments is going to yield much more satisfaction than your next trip to the iTunes store.

Sounds Good

There is probably no one in this fine city that knows more about vinyl-era music than Sounds Good owner, Rich Wright. In fact, I’d recommend putting aside some time for this record store visit, as it’s almost impossible not to get into a friendly conversation with Rich, and the cast of locals that hang around make the store feel less like retail and more like the set of Cheers. After slimming down to one music store post-Napster, Sounds Good boasts one of the largest vinyl inventories around, with a substantial collection in-store and even more in storage, keeping the store chock full of great finds.

Located on the Marietta square, Sweet Melissa is relatively new on the scene, but has quickly gained steam thanks to its location within one of the best antique stores on the square, its selection of new releases, and its high quality listening stations. Sweet Melissa does a great job of bringing the analog world to the digital one- selling its selection online and stocking vinyl releases of radio-current artists. This store also rocks a lot of quality audio gear so if you’re looking for new turntables or speakers, they’re probably going to have something in your price range.

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